Karachi : Mark Chapman struck an unbeaten 69 off 33 balls as Islamabad United chased down 193-run target with four wickets in hand and eight balls to spare against Multan Sultans in the 40th and final league match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi on Sunday.
The win lifted Islamabad United to second on the points table on 13 points from 10 matches and earned them a Qualifier clash against table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi, with the winner advancing directly to the 3 May final and the losing team dropping into Eliminator 2, scheduled for 1 May. Multan Sultans, who finished third with 12 points, will take on fourth-placed Hyderabad Kingsmen in Eliminator 1 on 29 April in Lahore.
Chasing 193, Islamabad United lost Sameer Minhas in the second over for one off four balls, edging Mohammad Ismail to sweeper cover where the catch was completed by his elder brother Arafat Minhas in a notable derby moment between the siblings on opposing teams.
Devon Conway and Mohsin Riaz steadied the chase with a 31-run stand for the second wicket. Conway (18, 15b, 4x4s), who survived a leg-before-wicket review on umpire's call off Muhammad Imran, drove a fuller delivery past mid-off for four before edging Imran to a diving Steve Smith at mid-off.
Mohsin made 25 off 17 balls with five fours before paddle-sweeping Faisal Akram to short fine leg, where Ismail completed a juggling catch at 72-3 in 7.3 overs.
Shadab Khan and Chapman steadied the innings with a 63-run stand for the fourth wicket. Chapman, who had been dropped on zero by Mohammad Wasim Jnr at midwicket, capitalised in style as he struck Wasim Jnr for two fours and a six in the 11th over and brought up his half-century off just 26 balls with a tracer-bullet four through the covers off Faisal Akram.
Shadab perished after contributing 36 off 28 balls with five fours, mishitting Wasim Jnr to Smith at long-on as the scoreboard read 135-4 in the 14th over.
Haider Ali’s cameo of a five-ball 13 featuring two sixes ended as he was caught at deep cover off Faisal.
Faheem Ashraf made 11 off nine balls before Peter Siddle had him caught at deep cover by Imran with Islamabad finding themselves 171-6 in the 18th over.
Chapman, however, refused to be denied as he pulled Siddle for a six over square leg to bring up United's 100, launching Ashton Turner for a 90-metre six over long-on and finishing unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls with four fours and six sixes. He finished the game with back-to-back fours off Wasim Jnr.
Earlier, opting to bat first, Multan Sultans’ opening batters Sahibzada Farhan and Smith got off to a flying start with a 60-run stand inside the powerplay. Sahibzada flat-batted Mohammad Salman Mirza for a six over long-off in the second over and flicked Imad Wasim through midwicket for four.
Smith pulled Mohammad Salman Mirza for six over midwicket and lashed a length ball through the covers for four.
Both batters fell on consecutive deliveries — Smith for (30, 19b, 4x4s, 1x6) edging a Salman off-cutter behind to Conway, before Shadab had Sahibzada (30, 18b, 4x4s, 1x6) caught at deep midwicket by Sameer Minhas, jolting Multan at 60-2 after 6.1 overs.
Josh Philippe (11, 13b) put on 42 with top-scorer Shan Masood before Imad had him caught at short midwicket by Green at 102-3 in the 12th over.
Ashton Turner managed nine off five balls with a six off Green before being caught and bowled by him
Shan, who reverse-swept Shadab for four and launched Green for two sixes over midwicket and long-off, was bowled by Salman Irshad for 44 off 33 balls (2x4s, 3x6s) at 129-5.
Arafat and Wasim Jnr then propelled Sultans past 190 with a 56-run stand for the seventh wicket off 23 balls.
Arafat struck Salman Irshad for a six over long-off and a flicked four through midwicket and clobbered Faheem for a six over deep midwicket. Faheem returned to dismiss Imran (5), before Arafat got run out for 31 off 19 balls (1x4, 3x6s) in the 20th over after a mix-up with Wasim Jnr.
Wasim Jnr finished unbeaten on 26 off nine balls with two fours and two sixes, hammering Salman for two consecutive sixes and a four through third man as Sultans posted 192-7.
Scores in brief:
Match 40 – Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans by four wickets at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Multan Sultans 192-7, 20 overs (Shan Masood 44, Arafat Minhas 31, Sahibzada Farhan 30, Steve Smith 30, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 26 not out; Imad Wasim 1-23, Faheem Ashraf 1-23)
Islamabad United 193-6, 18.4 overs (Mark Chapman 69 not out, Shadab Khan 36, Mohsin Riaz 25; Faisal Akram 2-41, Peter Siddle 1-24, Mohammad Ismail 1-29)
Player of the Match: Mark Chapman (Islamabad United(
Tuesday’s Qualifier: Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United at National Bank Stadium, Karachi; 7pm PKT
